Muscle pain occurs when specialized nerve endings called nociceptors receive excitatory impulses of varying frequencies.  The more the activity in the nociceptors, the more the pain.  CBD and other cannabinoids as well as terpenes naturally occurring in raw, full spectrum hemp oil have been shown to significantly reduce the excitatory impulses reaching the nociceptors, thereby eliminating pain.   This is the analgesic effect of full spectrum hemp.

Additionally, raw hemp oil has over 500 naturally occurring compounds including hundreds of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids many of which have been shown to dramatically reduce inflammation.  And as tissue inflammation decreases, pain disappears.  This is the anti-inflammatory effect of full spectrum hemp oil.

Menthol is a powerful naturally occurring terpene, not found in hemp, that has been shown to increase absorption of other molecules through the skin layers into muscle and circulation and is often a good addition to a CBD topical or salve.

It stands to reason that the application of a topical composed of menthol and a full spectrum hemp oil containing all of the relevant cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, including a significant amount of naturally occurring CBD acids, would serve both as a potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory treatment.